There exists a need for a system of adhering surface-conforming material of some significant weight to an underwater target. In particular, military applications require a non-invasive means of attaching a plastic explosive to an underwater target surface, such as a submerged surface of a hostile ship. The target surface may be made of a variety of substances and may be rough or uneven. It is necessary that the plastic explosive remain adhered for a sufficient period of time for personnel to remove themselves from the site, and in many cases, it may be desirable that the device remain adhered to the site for a period of several days.
For some time now the U.S. Army has been using a two-sided tape to bond plastic explosives to target surfaces. If the target surface is very cold or is under water, an adhesive (unlike those used in accordance with the present invention) is applied to the surfaces of the tape prior to bonding. This bonding system has proven to be particularly unsatisfactory for underwater bonding, and for some time the Army has waived its target specifications for lack of a bonding system which meets its requirements. It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a system for bonding surface-conforming materials, such as plastic explosives, to underwater target surfaces.
Although the present invention was developed in response to a military requirement, the invention is applicable to civilian applications where bonding of a surface-conforming material to an underwater target surface is required.